Be their guest!
Hospitality and tourism management students throw themed dinner parties as part of their curriculum.
As part of the business etiquette and protocol course’s final project, hospitality and tourism management students orchestrate themed soirées from A to Z, putting the semester-long teachings into practice. Food preparation students also partake in this project by cooking a miscellany of mouthwatering dishes as part of their final course examination.
Business etiquette and protocol, taught by Sarah Shebaya and Serge Chamilian on the Beirut and Byblos campuses, respectively, aims to school students in business and social etiquette. They also learn about common courtesies, formalities, and entertainments in both professional and personal settings.
Consequently, the students plan the soirées — from the invitation cards and seating charts, to the food and press releases — with phenomenal intricacy, working closely alongside LAU’s faculty and staff members to create hearty dinner parties.
“What we learned in this class is of great value because it’s useful for us in our everyday life,” says Dana Hijazi, a business student. “Now we know that the way we greet our future boss, or even answer a simple email, can shape our career.”
Previous themes have included “Arabian Night”; “The Mask Within,” a masquerade ball themed dinner; and “Silent Auction,” which featured an auction for the benefit of the Home of Hope orphanage in Kahalee.
This exercise is meant to help the students make a safe transition from theory to practice, Shebaya explains. “I always tell my students that they are bound to encounter important people and figures in their lives. They need to conduct themselves accordingly and manage their social affairs properly,” she says before adding, “Not to mention that throwing dinner parties following traditional etiquette and protocol can be a great boost for your PR.”
Students sitting at the diwan they created, listening to the rabab player.
Food preparation students serving Arab cuisine.
Student chefs strike a pose.
Hospitality and tourism management students gather around for a group picture.
Before “Silent Auction” starts, a student from the table setup committee sets a table decorated with student-made items.
Students bidding on various items at “Silent Auction.”
Throughout the course, students learned how to dress and behave at a formal dinner.
Place card committee members laying out the place cards.
The students dressed to impress at “The Mask Within.”
Executive chef and lecturer Fady Rebeiz gives the students a helping hand in the kitchen.
The students both looked and gave their best at the masquerade ball themed dinner.